Slicing machine



Oct. 11, 1938;

w. J. PURCKER SLICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1937 Inventor fj arc/re B; @zmw/iz;

Attorneys Oct. 11, 1938.

w. J. PURCKER 2,132,699

SLI CING MACHINE v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 50, 1937 Attorneys Oct. 11, 1938. ,w. J. PURCKER SLICING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30', 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 A tiomeys Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a slicing machine for slicing various kinds of edible articles, such as bread, cheese, and meats and vegetables of various kinds.

The general object of the invention is toprovide a device which can be manufactured to sell at low price and which is manually operated to actuate a rotary knife and a reciprocating carriage with the operating means so arranged and formed that the machine can be actuated with but little effort so that it can be actuated by a woman or a child.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the slices may be made of various thicknesses and also to provide an easily operated follower member for forcing the material to be cut into cutting position and to make the follower adjustable so that it can be used for articles of different sizes and also to make it easily removable when it is not desired to use the follower.

Thepresent invention is an improvement over that forming the subject matter of an application filed by me on June 4, 1937, Serial No. 14.6;483.

This invention also consists in certain other :features of construction and. in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in Q :the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote'like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is an elevation, with parts broken away, looking toward the front side of the device.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device.

Figure? is a fragmentary elevational view look,- ing toward the rear side of the device and showing the means for guiding the slices from the knife. 1

Figure 4 is a front elevation of parts of the device and showing in detail the means for connecting the spring metal strap to the drum and to the carriage or slide.

Figure 5 is an edge view of the drum with a portion of the strap connected therewith.

Figure 6 is a view looking toward the inner face of the drum.

Figure 7 isa perspective view of the slide with the strap'oonnected therewith.

Figure 8 is a section at approximately the line 88 of Figure l.

Figure 9 is a sectional view showing the drive means for the rotary knife and the means for connecting the knife therewith.

Figure -10 is a sectional view through thedrum and the parts for rotating the drum, this view also showing a portion of the slide cover for the operating parts.

Figure 11 is a detail sectional View taken approximately on the line II-II of Figure 1.

In these drawings, the numeral I indicates an upright narrow frame which is formed with a wide base part 2, the base being provided with an extension 2 which extends well beyond the frame andrsubstantiallyhorizontal legs 3 extend outwardly from both sides of the base and have their ends curving downwardly and provided with the shoes 4 which may be equipped with tips or pads of rubber or the like.

A wide longitudinally extending groove 5 is formed in the front face of the base 2 and its extension 2' and anarrowgroove 6 is also formed in said part and opens out into the wide groove '5 and a carriage slides in the grove 5 and is composed of the elongated plate-like member I and an elongated bar 8 which is connected with the lower part of the member I and projects from said member at one end thereof and the projecting end of the member 8 has attached thereto a 'clampingplate 9 which has a part thereof bent over upon itself to clamp one end of a spring metal strip or strap I0 thereto as shown in Figure '7. This strip passes in rear of the member 1 and is located in the groove 6, the clamping part of the plate 9 extending into said groove 6 as shown in Figure 8. The other end of the strip I 0 passes into a curved slot I I extending inwardly from the periphery of the drum I2 and the strip has an eye I3 at the last mentioned end which fits over a pin I4 placed in a hole at the inner end of the slot as shown more particularly in Figure 6. The drum fits in a space formed by an annular flange I'5 projecting from the front face of the frame I and the drum and flange are of such diameters that a space is left between them for receiving the spring strip II) when the same is partly wound upon the drum. The flange has an opening. I6 in its bottom part for the passage of the strip and the groove 6 has a mouth forming part I'l adjacent the drum through which the strip passes. A downwardly sloping part I8 extendsfrom the bottom of the flange to the lower wall of the groove 6 and acts as a guide for the strip III between the opening I6 and the mouth I'I. These parts are so arranged that as the drum is rotatedin anti-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, the strip II] will be caused to :push the carriage to the right in Figure 4, the flange 15, the part I8 and the groove 6, with the specific formation of the opening I6 and mouth I? preventing the spring metal strip I0 from buckling during this pushing action.

"Then by moving the drum in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 4, the carriage will be pulled to the left in Figure 4 and by turning the drum in an opposite direction the carriage will be moved to the right of Figure 4, the carriage, as before stated, moving in the groove 5.

A flange 19 is formed on the outer face of the drum and overlaps a part of the flange Hi to confine the strip IO between the periphery of the drum and the internal wall of the flange [5. A stub shaft 26 extends from the inner face of the drum at the center thereof and an annular groove 2! surrounds this shaft and receives a boss 22 formed on the frame I and through which a bearing opening 23 passes for receiving the stub shaft 28, as shown in Figure 10. A pinion 24 is connected to the free end of the shaft and is located on that side of the frame 5 opposite to the side from which the boss projects sothat this pinion acts to hold the drum in place. A gear 25 meshes with the gear 24 and is carried by a. stub shaft 26 journaled in the frame I and this gear 25 meshes with'a semi-circular gear 2'! fastened to a shaft 23 journaled in the frame I and in a boss 29 attached to a cover part 36 for the rear side of the frame. The shaft 28 projects from the boss 29 and has a long handle 36 connected with the projecting part which terminates in a hand grip, not shown. A stop 3| carried by the frame is engaged by a straight side of the gear 21 to limit oscillating movement of the gear 2'! and to keep said gear 2'! always in mesh with the gear 25. Thus by oscillating the gear 21 by means of the handle 36' the drum is moved first in one direction and then in the other by the gears 24 and 25 and, of course, this movement is communicated to the carriage by the spring metal strap l as before explained. A large gear 32 is carried by the shaft 26 and meshes with a pinion 33 rotatably supported on a shaft 34 which passes through a bearing boss 35 in the frame I and a ratchet gear 36 has a hub 31 located in said boss and surrounding a portion of the shaft 34, the pinion 33 and the hub 31 having intermeshing clutch teeth 38 for connecting them together, whereby the ratchet gear 36 is driven from the pinion 33, said pinion 33 and the gear 36 being located on opposite sides of the frame and a disk 39 is connected to or formed with the shaft 34 outwardly of the ratchet gear 36 and a spring-pressed dog 46 is pivoted to the disk for engaging the ratchet teeth of the ratchet gear 36. Thus the pinion 33 and the ratchet gear 36 are rotated from the handle 30 but the disk 39 is only rotated in one direction from the ratchet gear 36 for when said ratchet gear moves in one direction the dog will simply ratchet over the same and thus the disk will not be moved. However, when the ratchet gear rotates in an opposite direction the dog will cause the disk to move with it.

A circular knife 4| is detachably connected to the disk 39 by means of a screw 42 passing through the center of the knife into the shaft 34 and oppositely arranged pins 43 .are carried bythe disk and enter holes in the knife for causing the knife to rotate with the disk.

' These parts are so arranged that when the handle is moved to rotate the drum to exert a pull upon the spring strap l0 to move the carriage toward the knife, the knife will be rotated .and when'the handle is moved in the opposite direction the drum will be rotated in an opposite direction to exert a push on the spring strip or strap to force the carriage back to its starting point and in this movement the knife will not be rotated as the dog 40 will simply ratchet over the moving ratchet gear 36.

The frame I provides a housing at each side thereof for the gears and their associated parts and on the handle or rear side of the frame the housing is closed by the detachable cover plate 30 and on the opposite side by a sliding cover 44 which slides in a groove formed in an overhanging part I of the frame and in a groove in a strip I" which is suitably connected with the base 2 and which partly covers the groove 5. The outer end of the cover 44 is formed with a right angle extension 44 which is fastened to a part of the frame I by a screw 45 which removably holds the cover 44 in closed position. The inner end of the cover 44 is formed with a curved edge which terminates a distance from the inner end of the housing which encloses the knife and the inner end of the opposite housing is provided with a curved part 46, which is beveled as shown in Figure 3, to divert the slices cut from the material by the knife outwardly upon a shelf forming member 4? which has eyes or rolled ends 48 for sliding over the pins 49 projecting horizontally from the rear side of the base 2 so that this shelf forming member receives the slices cut by the knife. The upper edge of a portion of the rear side of the base is also beveled as at 50 in Figures 2 and 3 to direct the slices outwardly upon the shelf forming member.

A horizontally arranged table is provided for supporting the material to be sliced and this table at its inner end has a depending part 52 which is connected to the bar 8 of the carriage by a screw 53 entering a threaded hole 54 in the bar. The outer end of the carriage has a depending part 55 which is connected by screws 56 with outwardly extending portions 5'! of collars 58 sliding on a bar 58 which has its ends fastened to upward extensions 3 of the front legs 3. Thus the table will move with the carriage and the table at its outer end is formed with an upstanding part 60, the inner end of which extends outwardly at right angles as shown at 60. This part 60 forms an abutment for limiting sidewise movement of the articles placed on the table.

A follower 6! of plate-like form is slidably arranged on the table and-has an outwardly extending base part 62 carrying two depending pins 63 for engaging any pair of a longitudinally extending row of holes 64 formed in a bar 65 slidably arranged in the guideways 66 attached to the under part of the table 5|, the holes being exposed through a slot 61 in the table.

A lever 68 extends under the inner or forward end of the table and is pivoted thereto by a bolt 63 and a spring Hi tends to hold the lever in the position shown in Figure 2. The free end of the lever is turned up to provide a handle 68 and an intermediate portion of the lever is formed with a longitudinally extending slot H for receiving a depending pin or bolt :22 carried by the inner end of the bar 65. Thus when the lever is swung outwardly it will move the bar outwardly and the bar will carry the follower with it due to the connection of the follower with the bar by the pins 63 engaging a pair of holes 64 in the bar. If it is not desired to use the follower it may be lifted so as to remove it from the table and remove its pins from the holes of the bar and by providing the bar with a plurality of these holes the follower can be adjusted on the table. The front face of the follower is provided with a plurality of pointed projections 13 for penetrating the article to be sliced. By providing the collars 58 with the projections 51 the lever 68 has considerable movement so that a long article can be placed on the table and pressed forwardly by the follower. If the article is extremely long then the follower can be removed and then put back in place when the article has been shortened by the slices out therefrom.

In order to provide means for adjusting or regulating the thicknesses of the slices out by the machine I provide an upright plate 15 which has a frame member 16 attached to the lower portion of its rear face which slides on the pins 11 carried by the extension base '2', the cross member of this frame member 16 having a pin 18 therein engaging a spiral groove 19 in. a cylinder 8B rotatably supported by the extension base and a bracket 8| attached to said base and a knurled disk 82 is connected to the outer end of the cylinder for rotating the same, said disk having graduations thereon and the bracket 3| having a pointer 83 thereon for cooperating with the graduations to indicate the positions of the parts to make the slice of the desired thickness. It will be seen that by turning the cylinder by the disk 82 the plate i5 will be adjusted on the pins 11 toward and away from the knife sothat the thickness of the slice cut by the knife can be made of the required thickness.

In using the device the article to be sliced is placed on the table 5|, after the follower has been moved outwardly by swinging the lever 68 outwardly and as before stated this follower can be adjusted on thebar 65 or if the article is very long then the follower can be removed and then replaced after the article has been shortened by having slices cut therefrom. The plate is adjusted by turning the disk 82 so that the slices will be of the required thickness. Then the handle 30 is manipulated to rotate the drum and the knife and as this is done the drum. will be rotated in a direction to cause the spring strip or strap to move the carriage and the table 5| to the left in Figure 2 and this will cause the article to move against the knife so that a slice will be cut therefrom and this slice will be directed outwardly to fall upon the shelf member 4i by the beveled parts 46 and 5B. After the slice has been cut the handle is moved in the opposite direction and in this movement the pawl or dog as will simply ratchet over the rotating ratchet wheel 36 so that the knife will not rotate but the drum will move in a reverse direction to cause the spring strap to push the carriage and the table back to the starting point. Then the article is pushed against the plate 15 either by the follower or by hand if the follower is not being used and then the handle is again manipulated to out another slice. It will of course be understood that the spring i0 acts to move the follower in a direction to cause it to push the article against the plate 15.

The inner curved end of the cover 44 curves inwardly as shown at 44" to come close to the knife so as to not interfere with the passage of the article on the table as the table moves forwardly and to prevent dirt and dust and the like from entering the housing, the front of which is formed by the cover 44.

An opening 9!! is formed in the upper portion of the sliding cover 44 in alignment with an edge portion of the knife and a similar opening is formed in the cover member 30, these openings being adapted to receive the sharpening device 9i which has a beveled sharpening member 92 at one end and a straight sharpening member 93 at its other end, the member 92 being used in the opening of the cover 30 for sharpening the beveled edge of the knife and the member 93 is used in the opening 90 of the cover 44 for removing burrs from the straight edge of the considerable degree of movement and enables [I the device to be operated with but little effort.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

1. In a slicing machine of the class described, a supporting frame, a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting table carried by the carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frame, a spring strap connected with the drum and with the carriage, confining means for the strap to permit the strap to pull the carriage in one direction and to push it in an opposite direction by turning movement of the drum, said confining means including an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, a rotary knife journaled in the frame, means for rotating the drum in a direction to cause the strap to pull the carriage in a direction tocause the article on the carriage to engage the knife and means for rotating the knife by the drum. operating means.

2. A slicing machine of the class described comp-rising a supporting frame, a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting table carried by the carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frame, a spring metal strap connecting the drum with the carriage, confining means for the strap to cause the strap to pull the carriage in one direction when the drum is rotated in one direction and to push the carriage in an opposite direction when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, said confining means including an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, manually operated means for rotating the drum in either direction, a circular rotating knife journaled in the frame for slicing an article on the carriage when the same is pulled by the strap and means including ratchet means for rotating the knife from the manually operated means when the drum is rotated in a direction to exert a pull upon the strap, the ratchet means permitting the knife to remain at rest when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction.

3. A slicing machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting table attached to said carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frame, a spring metal strap connecting the drum with the carriage, confining means for the strap to cause the strap to exert a pull upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in one direction and to exert a push upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, said confining means including an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, a hand lever, gearing connecting the same with the drum for rotating the drum in two directions by oscillatory movement of the hand lever, a rotary circular knife journaled in the frame, means including ratchet means for rotating the knife by the gearing when the drum is rotated in a direction to move the carriage toward the knife, the ratchet means enabling the knife to remain at rest when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction.

4. A slicing machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame, .a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting table attached to said carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frame, a spring metal strap connecting the drum with the carriage, confining means for the strap to cause the strap to exert a pull upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in one direction and to exert a push upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, said confining means including an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, a hand lever, gearing connecting the same with the drum for rotating the drum in two directions by oscillatory movement of the hand lever. a rotary circular knife journaled in the frame, means including ratchet means for rotating the knife by the gearing when the drum is rotated in a direction to move the carriage toward the knife, the ratchet means enabling the knive to remain at rest when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, an abutment member against which articles are pressed when the articles are placed upon the table, manually operated means for adjusting said abutment member to regulate the thicknesses of slices cut by the machine and a spring-pressed follower member on the table.

5. A slicing machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting tab-1e attached to said carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frme, a spring metal strap connecting the drum with the carriage, confining means for the strap to cause the strap to exert a pull upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in one direction and to exert a push upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, said confining means in cluding an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on. which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, a hand lever, gearing connecting the same with the drum for rotating the drum in two directions by oscillatory movement of the hand lever, a rotary circular knife journaled in the frame, means including ratchet means for rotating the knife by the gearing when the drum is rotated in a direction to move the carriage toward the knife, the ratchet means enabling the knife to remain at rest when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, a spring-pressed lever pivoted to an under part of the table and having a part projecting beyond the table and provided with a handle, a bar slidably arranged in the table, a pin and slot connection between the lever and thebar, a follower plate, and means for removably and adjustably connecting the plate with the bar.

6. A slicing machine of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a carriage slidably arranged in the frame, an article supporting table attached to said carriage, a drum rotatably supported in the frame, a spring metal strap connecting the drum with the carriage, confining means for the strap to cause the strap to exert-a pull upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in one direction and to exert a push upon the carriage when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, said confining means including an elongated narrow groove in the frame through which the strip passes and a flange surrounding that part of the drum on which the strap is arranged, said flange having an opening therein arranged adjacent one end of the groove for the passage of the strap between the drum and the groove, a hand lever, gearing connecting the same with the drum for rotating the drum in two directions by oscillatory movement of the hand lever, a rotary circular knife journaled in the frame, means including ratchet means for rotating the knife by the gearing when the drum is rotated in a direction to move the carriage toward the knife, the ratchet means enabling the knife to remain at rest when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction, a spring-pressed lever pivoted to an under part of the table and having a part projecting beyond the table and provided with a handle, a bar slidably arranged in the table, a pin and slot connection between the lever and the bar, a follower plate, means for removably and ajustably connecting the plate with the bar, an abutment plate for articles to be cut, slidably supported in the frame, a manually operated cylinder rotatably supported in the frame and having a spiral groove therein, and a pin carried by a part of the abutment plate engaging the groove for adjustment of the plate.

7. In a slicing machine of the class described, a frame, a circular knife rotatably supported therein, a carriage slidably supported in the frame, means for rotating the knife and actuating the carriage, a table carried by the carriage, a lever pivoted to the carriage, a bar slidably supported by the carriage for longitudinal movement therein, said bar having a plurality of holes therein, means for moving the bar by the lever, a spring for normally holding the bar in an inward position, said spring being connected with the lever, a follower plate having projections thereon engaging the holes in the bar to adjustably and removably connect the plate with the bar.

WILLIAM J. PURCKER. 

